I am still researching this relative quite intensively, but I first became aware of him a few months back when I found him mentioned in the Windsor Union Workhouse Relative’s Book. His entry was one which kind of confirmed my suspicions regarding the Smith/Attwell combination as his relative was given as Mrs Smith (Attwell), grandmother. This meant he was the child of one of Elizabeth Attwell’s own children, but which one? After looking through the Baptism Book at the Old Windsor vicarage, I found two Fredericks, one a Frederick William Attwell, born 1897 to Elizabeth Attwell, Single Mother at the Windsor Union Workhouse, the other was a William Frederick Attwell, born 1909 to Elizabeth Attwell, Single Woman, Crimp Hill House (another name for the Workhouse).The Relative’s Book had stated that the Frederick I was looking for was born in 1909, so I know that he must be the one. This means that his mother was Elizabeth Attwell (b 1877), daughter of Elizabeth Attwell (1855). The entry for his birth in the BMD registers is as Frederick William, not William Frederick which led me to believe that the earlier Frederick must have been the son on Elizabeth (1855) as I couldn’t find a death entry which would justify having two children of the same name.

The next time that Frederick (1909) popped up was in the School Records of St Peter’s School in Old Windsor, he joined the school in 1916, his parent/guardian was given as ‘The Master – Boy’s Home’ and his address was Albany House. He left the school in 1920, the note next to his entry reads, ‘Left the country (Gone to Canada)’. I later discovered that Albany House Boy’s Home was part of the Windsor Union Workhouse.

I was told that around the late 19th & early 20th century, a lot of children were sent to Canada (via Liverpool) to start new lives out there, so I started digging around passenger lists (http://www.CollectionsCanada.gc.ca) etc. and up popped Frederick on board the SS Metagama, leaving Liverpool 3rd Sep 1920, arriving in Quebec on the 11th Sep 1920 with the Macpherson party, destination Marchmont Home, Belleville, Ontario. Some more digging gave me some interesting background information on the emigration process (http://ist.uwaterloo.ca/~marj/genealogy/children/Organizations/birt.html) and some names of people to contact who may have more information. A couple of emails later and I got this information from John Sayers of BIFHS (http://www.bifhsgo.ca/home_children_index.htm ):

On film #T-14948 is a copy of Frederick’s landing card, or 30A card. Between 1 Jan 1920 and 31 Dec 1924 Canada used the 30A Landing card rather than a copy of the ships manifest, in 1925 they went back to the manifest.

During my last visit to Berkshire Records Office, I spent some time looking through the records of the Workhouse and found several letters from the master to Miss [Lilian] Birt of the Liverpool Sheltering Homes during 1920, organising the emigration process, several mentioned Frederick and other children that were to be emigrated (including the ones mentioned in the info above). The departure from the home to Liverpool was also mentioned in the Master’s Journal.

So I now know where he was up until 1929 when he completed his indenture. Now I have to start looking for any descendants he may have but, being in England, this might not be so easy as I’ve only ever researched records in this country. If I can find a living descendant, not only will I make contact with this lost branch but I can then request information from Dr Barnado’s as they have now taken over the records and they will only give out records to the next of kin. There is a chance that they will have a photo of the young Frederick too.